After a renovation that took two years and $34
million, the downtown Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament will officially
open this weekend. "Every great city worth its salt has a
first-class cathedral," said the Rev. James Murphy, the cathedral
rector, "and now Sacramento has one."Sacramento Bee/Randy Pench

A crucifix, suspended by airplane cables, hang below
the cathedral's newly opened dome. The dome has been closed since the
cathedral was remodeled in the 1930s.
Sacramento Bee/Randy Pench

The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, the heart of the
Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, has been shrouded. Its dome obscured for
seven decades, its windows clouded by incense smoke, its pews in
shadows. And, for more than two years, it has been hidden in renovation.

At 3 p.m. Sunday, the shroud will be lifted in one of the most
elaborate religious services ever planned for Sacramento. The church
doors will officially open, revealing a $34 million transformation to a
light and airy space where worshippers can find comfort and sanctuary.

From the retrofitted roof to the expanded pews, every aspect of the
116-year-old downtown cathedral has been updated, sometimes amid
controversy. It is the most expensive church renovation in Sacramento
history.

"Every great city worth its salt has a first-class cathedral,
and now Sacramento has one," said the Rev. James Murphy, rector of
the cathedral.

There are significant additions, including a chapel inside the church
and a 2,000-pound crucifix hanging over the altar supported by airplane
cables. But the biggest change is the dome, which was closed in the
1930s.

For the first time in more than 70 years, worshippers will be able to
look up and see the interior of the dome.

"Our goal was for people to walk in and see the cathedral as it
was originally intended, as if they stepped back in time," said
Harry Hallenbeck, the supervising architect of the renovation.

Among the first to see the renovated cathedral will be more than
1,200 invitation-only guests.

Church and civic leaders, project workers and more than 100 priests
and 20 bishops from across the country will participate in Sunday's
special Mass, called the Rite of Dedication.

Bishop William Skylstad, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops, will deliver the homily.

The service begins when Bishop William K. Weigand, spiritual leader
of the Sacramento diocese, and other church leaders walk through the
front doors as worshippers sing "Let us go rejoicing to the House
of the Lord," from Psalm 122.

The ceremony "baptizes" the cathedral from a work space to
a holy space and will take nearly three hours.

Tickets are no longer available.

"People want to be there to see the new cathedral, of course.
But they also want to be there to see the anointing of the church,"
said Jackson Schoos, the director of the office of worship for the
Sacramento diocese.

Parishioners who have seen the cathedral are impressed. "It's
beautiful. I think people are going to be amazed by the detail that went
into it," said Donald Haven, who has been a member of the cathedral
for more than 40 years. "It is worth the wait."

The architectural style of the church is Italian Renaissance on the
exterior and Victorian on the interior, according to Hallenbeck. The
church has been updated for modern use, but designers tried to keep the
church in the original style.

The walls have been painted salmon, and the carpet has been removed.
New artwork - including a mural of Our Lady of Guadalupe - has been
installed. A new baptismal font has been placed at the front of the
church. The stained glass has been cleaned.

"Everything is in harmony," Hallenbeck said.

The cathedral is considered both a religious and civic landmark. It
is the mother church of the diocese, which stretches from the southern
edge of Sacramento County north to the Oregon border and serves more
than 500,000 Catholics.

A five-minute walk from the state Capitol, the cathedral has been the
site of many community events over the years. It served as a
"drop-in" center for soldiers during two world wars, and
governors have held their inauguration worship services there. Funerals
for civic leaders from Maureen Reagan to Mayor Joe Serna were held at
the cathedral.

While the renovated cathedral has been praised by many who have seen
it, the cost of the restoration has been criticized.

The original projected cost was less than $20 million, but, according
to church officials, an increase in construction costs and unexpected
delays caused that price tag to jump.

The money for the restoration came from a variety of sources. Ten
million dollars came from the 2002 diocese-wide Capital Campaign,
another $10 million from diocesan investments and an additional $2
million from cathedral parishioners. Diocesan officials are conducting a
drive for the remaining $12 million.

Some say the church spent too much, especially given recent financial
cutbacks by the diocese.

In March, diocesan officials closed St. Peter's Elementary School,
merging it with All Hallows. In June, diocesan officials agreed to pay
$35 million to settle 33 claims of clergy sexual abuse. To help pay for
that settlement, diocesan officials agreed in September to sell Lakeview
Village Mobile Home Park in Citrus Heights, angering many of the elderly
residents.

"People are dismayed that they would spend this kind of money on
a building while people here are wondering about where they're going to
live," said resident Toni Rehage. "Shame on them."

But church officials say the money for the cathedral restoration came
from different funds. "The money for the project was committed five
years ago," Murphy said.

Supporters say the money was well spent and the cathedral will be an
asset for the city and future generations.

Linda Sanchez, 80, was baptized in the church. Next week, she and her
husband, Martin, who were married in a courthouse 50 years ago, will
marry in the renovated cathedral. It will be a double wedding, with
their granddaughter and her future husband.

The cathedral has "been important to our family," said
Sanchez, "and I like knowing that it will be there for my children
and grandchildren."

Celebration

The celebration for the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament will last two
days, and demand for tickets is high. Tickets for Sunday's afternoon
Mass and a 7 p.m. Mass for cathedral parishioners are no longer
available.

The public is welcome to attend the 11 a.m. Monday Mass, honoring
Bishop William K. Weigand's 25 years as a bishop, and a 5:30 p.m. Mass
for public officials and interfaith leaders. Cardinal Roger Mahoney,
archbishop of Los Angeles, will deliver the homily. Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver, are expected to attend.